Policy/Action: Montana/Dakotas BLM selected the Garnet Visitor Center and the Ft. Mead Recreation Area and Alkali Creek Campground sites in the South Dakota Field Office for completion of the 2009 Visitor Satisfaction Survey. Both sites need to complete and return the Site Profile by November 10, 2008. The instructions for the On-Site Visitor Survey Administration and the Site Profile-2009 Visitor Survey form are attachments to the subject WO IB.

Budget Impact: Minimal. Each site will be given $2,500 to assist with the survey.

Background: The WO is requesting two sites per state for the FY09 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Visitor Satisfaction Survey, to be completed between January 15, and August 31, 2009. One site must provide interpretive programming and/or facilities. The field office must pay the staff time or use volunteers to contact visitors. The MT 1220 subactivity sheet has set aside $2,500 per site to administer this survey.

The WO is paying for all developing and processing of the survey. Reasons for choosing the Garnet Ghost Town Visitor Center and the Ft. Mead Recreation Area in the South Dakota Field Office are:

1.We need a site that receives good visitation to meet the statistic guidelines. The site can either be a fee or non-fee site. Both the Pompeys Pillar National Monument and the Upper Missouri Interpretive Center have been surveyed in the last 2 years for the interpretive requirement. The Butte, Dillon, Lewistown, and North Dakota (Schnell Recreation Area) sites have been surveyed the last 4 years for the non-interpretive requirement.

2.We need a site where there are personnel (volunteers, permanent staff, and seasonals) who can administer this survey.

A minimum of 8 sampling days should be used to collect the 350–400 surveys. A sampling day should consist of a 4-hour period of time that may occur in the morning, afternoon, or evening, depending on visitation to that site. This may be extended for areas that have sporadic visitation throughout the day. Select sampling days that represent a mix of weekend days and weekdays spread out across the sampling period. Thus, a minimum total of 32 hours of sampling is needed, plus some hours to mail the surveys to the University of Idaho.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.

Coordination: National Recreation and Visitor Services Division (WO-250), Branch of Land Resources (MT-924), South Dakota Field Office (MT-040), and the Missoula Field Office

(MT-100).

Contact: Direct any questions you have regarding this survey to Christina Miller at (406)